Bobi accuses govt of plotting to stop his tours

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader and former presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, has accused the government of plotting to use the recently issued terror alerts to stop his countrywide tour. 

Addressing a rally in Luweero District on Friday last week, Mr Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, said: “I want you people to listen carefully and take this message to everybody in the Buganda Region. I am not very sure if the NRM regime will allow me to continue with my countrywide tours after this success in Luweero. They are scratching their heads and plotting against this success.” 

“Anyway, even when they  successfully plot and refuse me to continue with the tours, I will devise other means of delivering the same message because Uganda needs a second liberation from the Museveni–led NRM regime,” he added. 

He also claimed that the police had sent him a message stating that terrorists could be targeting his life, something he said is “a mockery and not very strange from a regime”. 

“These are some of the tricks used by the NRM regime against the Opposition politicians,” he said.

Efforts to get comments from the government and the police were futile by press time. However, the police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, had earlier said the NUP party activities would not be disrupted as long as the party officials cooperate with the police. 

Mr Kyagulanyi, who drew crowds as he travelled for the more than 55km journey from his Magere home in Wakiso District to Luweero, spending more than five hours on the road before arriving at the rally venue, Kasana Sports Grounds in Luweero Town Council, urged the NUP supporters not to lose hope in what he termed as a new liberation struggle to oust the NRM regime.

“The issues that we are all fighting against including the land grabbing, corruption, unexplained murders, politically instigated arrests and lack of tolerance, are the reasons why Ugandans are seeking the change through alternative leadership. The NRM has run out of ideas and is now busy celebrating birthdays,” he said.

At the same rally, Mr Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, castigated government for failing to fulfil many of the pledges made to the people of the Greater Luweero.  

“The hope to have many of the pledges fulfilled has since faded. But I also appeal for unity and respect for the party structure leadership. You elected your leaders and NUP respects the leadership that you put in place. We should not expose our differences outside the party structures but ensure that we remain united as a party,” he said.

Ms Brenda Nabukenya, the Luweero Woman MP, said the rampant land wrangles had impended development in Greater Luweero Region. 

“The people in Greater Luweero cannot engage in commercial farming because the land grabbers have taken away big chunks of their land. Our people are very insecure on their respective land,” she said. 

Luweero District was the epicentre of the five-year guerrilla war that ushered Mr Museveni’s government into power in 1986 but Opposition politicians have always criticised the government for allegedly neglecting the area.

The NUP rally came less than a week after the government held three farmer expos in the districts of Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola as part of the farmer education and mobilisation strategy.

Speaking at the different expos, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said the government will continue helping the farmers realise their economic transformation through bridging the service delivery gaps.

“The Opposition politicians tell a lot of lies but we are also going to investigate and close gaps in the service delivery. We have begun with the farming sector that employs the greatest percentage of the population,” she said.